Shoe-drier.



Patented June 25, 1918 INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS QZQMA EDWARD GOULDAR SMITH, or answer, New SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.

SHOE-DRIER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD GOULDAR SMITH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Albury, New South Wales, Australia, have invented a new and Improved. Shoe-Drier, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription.

This invention relates to drying devices for footwear and has for an object the provision of an improved arrangement which may be readily inserted into a shoe, boot or the like for drying the same, the construc .tion being such that the inserted member isdcapable of being heated by several metho s.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drier for footwear formed hollow so as' to readily receive hot water, an electrical heating element or other heating means which will not come directly in conact with the footwear.

A still further object of the invention is 'to provide a. hollow drying member formed substantially the shape of a shoe so that when a heating element is placed therein the shoe will be dried and at the same time held in proper shape.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe drier disclosing an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates a container which may be made of metal, rubber or any other desired material and is preferably made to conform to the shape of a shoe so as to fit snugly therein when a shoe of proper size has been placed thereover. Itis, however, the intention to use a single form or container for shoes of different sizes within certain limits, and whenever necessary, as for instance in warfare.

The bottom of the container 1 is formed flat or of substantially the shape of the bottom of the shoe, whereby the shoe being dried is held in proper form if the drier is of the correct size which is always desirable though not essential for the drying operation. The container 1 is preferably covered with a covering member 2 formed of cloth. felt, rubber or other covering material, said covering member extending over the com- Speclflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1918.

Application filed January 15, 1918. Serial No. 211,943.

plete container including the bottom, though if desired cork or other moisture absorbing materialcould be used on the bottom. In forming these driers it is designed that they be constructed in pairs, namely left and right, so that when used for drying a pair of shoes of the correct size they will act in a limited sense as form lasts in addition to drying members. \Vhen the device is in use the container 1 may be filled with water or other heating fluid. \Vhen water or other fluid is used the upper part of the container is closed by a stopper 3 screwed into the top part of the container as shown in Fig. 2, said stopper preferably being provided with a handle 4 which is used in not only applying or removing the stopper, but in manipulating the entire drier. It it to be noted that the container 1 is made from metal, rubber, porcelain, earthenware, glassware and the like, and which materials will readily receive a hot liquid or other heating medium without transmitting any of the moisture to the leather, which leather is heated from the inside and consequently the moisture is driven from the inside outwardly. This will cause a proper drying action of the shoe without injuring the leather, especially when a'drying fluid is used there will be an amply drying action even though the fluid in course of time cools. The drier is to be used by civilians, sailors or soldiers, or in fact in any location. Where used by military men it is usual to fill the container with hot water and then place the same in the wet shoes, the container and shoes are then placed at a convenient point and left to dry during the night or other stated period. after which the water is removed and new hot water supplied temporarily so as to again heat the shoes immediately before use.

What I claim is:

A shoe drier comprising a container constructed to conform to substantially the shape of the shoe. a covering member of moisture absorbing material arranged on the exterior of the container, said container having an opening in the top through which heating elements can be passed, and a closure member threaded into said opening, said closure member being in the form of a handle used in applying and removing the container.

EDWARD GOULDAR SMITH. 

